When most people think of Civil Air Patrol today, they think about the cadet programs. What they don’t realize is the colorful past and future that adult members have within this all volunteer program. Civil Air Patrol is the civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. With Leaders that are both famous for their military and civilian leadership, CAP has a vibrant history that spans from World War 2 to the present. Leaders like John F. Curry, who was not just our first national commander but a Major General in the United States Army Air Corps. Under Curry’s guidance, wings were formed in every state. He helped mobilize 100,000 private pilots for non-combatant service; thus freeing military pilots for wartime duty.

            During World War II, the Civil Air Patrol was seen as a way to use America 's civil aviation resources to aid the war effort instead of grounding them (as was the case in Great Britain ). The organization eagerly assumed many missions including anti-submarine patrol and warfare, border patrols and courier services. The Civil Air Patrol sighted 173 enemy submarines and sank two. Despite being a volunteer force that was largely untrained in combat and military science, the organization's performance far exceeded expectations.

Now we provide guidance for cadet members, and develop leaders for America ’s future. But what most people who get involved with Composite squadrons and Cadet squadrons don’t know is, The Civil Air Patrol owns and operates the world's largest fleet of single-engine aircraft, predominantly Cessna 172 Skyhawk and Cessna 182 Skylane aircraft.

In 2003, the unique Australian designed and built, 8 seat Gippsland GA8 Airvan was added to the corporate fleet, making CAP the first American organization to own and operate this aircraft, and the largest fleet owner of the GA8 Airvan world wide. These aircraft carry the Airborne Real-time Cueing Hyperspectral Enhanced Reconnaissance (ARCHER) system, which can be used to search for aircraft wreckage based on its spectral signature.

Other aircraft types include the Cessna 206 and the Maule MT-235. Some members use their own airplanes for CAP missions. CAP also has several dozen gliders, such as the L-23 Super-Blanik, the Schleicher ASK 21 and the Schweizer SGS 2-33, used mainly for cadet orientation flights.

In addition to CAP's fleet of more than 530 aircraft, over 4,000 member-owned aircraft are made available for official tasking by CAP's volunteers should the need arise. Aircraft on search missions are generally manned by a crew of three: A Mission Pilot, responsible for the safe flying of the aircraft; a Mission Observer, responsible for Navigation, Communications and coordination of the mission (as well as actually looking out the window); and a Mission Scanner who is responsible for looking out the window for crash sites and damage clues. Additionally, the Mission Scanner may double as an SDIS operator. Larger aircraft may have additional Scanners aboard, providing greater visual coverage. Because of the additional ARCHER equipment, the crew of a Civil Air Patrol GA8 Airvan may also include an operator of the ARCHER system, depending upon the requirements of the mission.

            CAP owns roughly 1,000 vehicles (mostly vans for carrying personnel) and assigns them to units for use in the organization's missions. Members who use their own vehicles are reimbursed for fuel, oil and communications costs during a USAF-assigned emergency services mission.

            CAP operates a national radio network of HF (SSB) and VHF (FM) radio repeaters. Radio communications are now facilitated under NTIA specifications, to which Civil Air Patrol directorates have applied even more stringent standards. CAP's radio network is designed for use during a national or regional emergency when existing telephone and Internet communications infrastructure is not available. Outside of such emergencies, most of CAP's internal communications are conducted on the Internet. CAP frequencies are designated by the Department of Defense as Unclassified - For Official Use Only information, and as such may only be released to those individuals who have a recognized "need-to-know."

            CAP has some 57,000 Senior and Cadet members in over 1,600 local units across the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii ), in Puerto Rico and at overseas Air Force installations. CAP members are civilians and are not paid by the U.S. government for their CAP service. Rather, members are responsible for paying annual dues for membership, and pay for their own uniforms and other related expenses.

Senior membership is open to all U.S. Citizens and resident aliens aged 18 and over who are able to pass an FBI background check. There is no upper age limit, nor membership restrictions for physical disabilities, due to the number of different tasks which members may be called on to perform. Cadet membership is open to those between 12 and 18 (a cadet may remain in the Cadet Program until he/she is 21) years of age who maintain satisfactory progress in school (as determined by the cadet's unit commander).

If you are interested in the Senior member program, see further details on Senior Page. 

If you are interested in the Cadet Program, see further details on Cadets page